Condenser and rectifier



15 1931. v A/LENNING 1,823,497

CONDENSER ANb RECTIFIER Filed May 28. 1929 I I I 'Z LflENTR I 5. [BY

Patented Sept. 15,1931

UNITED s 'rA'riazs PATENT OFFICE ALVAR. mm-r JACKSON HEIeIirs, NEW Yonx, ASSIGNOR T0 ELECTROL'UX snRvEL CORPORATION, or NEW yonx, N. Y., A CORPORATION or DELAWARE CONDENSER AND RECTIFIER- Application filed May 28, 1929. Serial No. 366,699.

step it is impossible to prevent the vaporization of some of the absorption liquid and it is essential that this vapor be separated, so

far as ispossible, from the refrigerant vapor,

which separating process is termed rectification. As the absorption liquid has a higher boiling point than the refrigerant, the rectification may be accomplished by reducing the temperature of the mixed vapors to a value intermediate their boiling points. Thus the vapor of the absorption liquid is condensed while the refrigerant remains a gas.

It is impossible, however, to effect an absol-utely complete separation and it is the purpose of my invention to provide an apparatus in which the quantity of this unsep; arable absorption fluid is properly taken care of so, as not to impair the operation of the apparatus.

Rectifiers have been proposed in which a rectifying jacket surrounds a vertical vapor conduit, the jacket being connected between sections of condenser tubing. Such jacket has some vertical extent in order to give sufficient heat transmitting surface. In such 35 rectifier, as previously proposed I have found a tendency for Stratification in the rectifying jacket, in that the liquid in the lower part of the jacket becomes a solution of ammonia and water relatively rich'in water while the upper portion remains relatively free of wa- "ter. Thus there is a gradual and increasing I accumulation of water in the lower part of the jacket. The result is a diminution-of the rectifying effect due to the accumulation of water in this jacket. This accumulated water serves no useful purpose in the rectifier.

In accordance with the present invention, I cause the liquid .in the jacket to pass through points of different elevation, thereby 'preventing Stratification.

Additional objects and advantages and the complete nature of the invention will be apparent from consideration of the following description and accompanying drawings, on which Fig. l is an elevational view, chiefly in cross-section, of an absorption refrigerating apparatus embodying a preferred form of my invention;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view, chiefly in vention; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Referring more particularly to Fig; 1, reference character 10 indicates a generator placed in a substantially horizontal position. A flue 11, adapted to be heated in any suitable way, as by the gas burner 12, extends centrally through generator 10. A partition 13 divides thegenerator into a larger chamber 14 and a'smaller chamber 15. A vapor dome 16 communicates with one end of the upper part of chamber 14.

A conduit 17 communicates with the upper part of chamber 15 and extends substantially parallel to the generator and. thence upwardly. A thermo-siphon conduit 18 has its lower end within chamber 14:, passes through vapor dome 16 and extends upwardly and communicates with conduit 17. One or more ports 9 are formed in the side of conduit 18. The bore of conduit 17 isconsiderably larger than that of conduit 18. A series of bafiles 19 are placed within conduit 17 above the point where conduit 18 is connected thereto. The bafiles'are provided with apertures olfcenter and are so arranged that apertures in adjacent discs are not in alignment, thus providing a tortuous path.

-A rectified jacket 20 is placed around the upper part of conduit 17. A first condenser section in the form of a conduit 21 provided with heat radiating fins 22 communicates with conduit 17' above rectifier acket 20 and extends in a downward direction and communicates with jacket 20 at an intermediate point.

A second condenser element in the form'of aconduit 25 having heat radiating fins 26 6D cross-section, of a modified form of my in- 32. A series of baffles 33 provided with apertures are positioned within member 32 and a conduit 34 connects the bottom of the member with the lower part of an absorber 35.

Absorber 35 comprises a closed cylindrical vessel in which are placed discs 36 which may be similar to discs 29 in evaporator 28. A cooling water conduit 37 is coiled about the absorber in heat exchange relation therewith. A conduit 38 connects the upper part of I absorber35 with the lower end of a heat exnular space between jacket 39 and member change jacket 39 which is placed around [member 32. A wire or small rod 40, having a diameter substantially equal to the an- 32 is wound spirally therein and defines a spiral path therethrough. Conduit 27 conmeets the upper end of jacket 39 with the upper part of evaporator 28.

-A conduit 42 connects the bottom of absorber 35 with one end of a liquid heat ex; changer jacket 43 -while a conduit 44 connects the other end of the jacket with chamber 14 in generator 10. A conduit 45 communicates with chamber 15, passes within jacket 43 and communicates with the upper part of absorber 35. The above described apparatus constitutes a system which is hermetically sealed after being charged with v the proper fluids.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: A refrigerant, such as ammonia, dissolved in an absorptionliquid, for instance water, is contained in generator 10. The appllcation of heat from burner 12 serves to drive much of the ammonia from solution in.

the form of a vapor and also vaporizes some of the water.. The-vapors thus formed in entrap slugs of liquid which pass upwardly through conduit 18, due to this thermo-siphon or percolat'or action, and are discharged-into [conduit 17. The liquid passes-downwardly through conduit. 17'to chamber 15 where it is further heated and more vapor produced. The vapors formed in chamber,15 pass u wardly therefrom through the liquid in t e lower part of conduit 17. The bore of cone duit 17 is suflicientl large so that the vapor ma bubble freely through the liquid therein and will have no tendency to carry along slugs of the liquid. v a I .by the pressure in theaa operation, there is su stantially the same tion with some entrained water vapor passesupwardly through conduit '17 and through baflles 19 therein and are cooled somewhat before reaching that portion of the conduit within rectifier jacket 20. Within this last mentioned portion of conduit 17 the temperature is maintained at a value below the boiling point of water but above that of ammonia. Hence, practically all of the water Vapor is condensed and runs back through conduit 17' while the ammonia vapor is not condensed' (except such ammonia as might be considered as being condensed by being absorbed in the condensed steam) and passes into conduit 21. However, it is impossible to condense all of the water vapor and this uncondensed portion passes with the ammonia into conduit 21. In conduit 21 the ammonia and water vapors are condensed due to the more intensive cooling resulting from the increased radiation from the fins 22. Theliquid ammonia with a small amount of water flows from conduit 21 into jacket 20. The liquid in the jacket is in heat exchange relation with the vapors within the conduit 17. The heat of condensation of the water vapor which must be removed to cause the condenliquid ammonia in the jacket and 0 uses Va.-

porization of a corresponding pa t of the ammonia 'in the jacket. The temperature at which this vaporization occurs is determined pfa ratus and since, in

pressure with only a slight pressure drop .between the space in the rectifier where the water vapor is condensed and the space in the jacket 20 where the ammonia is evaporated,

' it follows that there can be no condensation of pure ammonia in this type of rectifier under anyo crating conditions.

As'water as a greater specific weight than ammonia it has a tendency to accumulate in the lower part of rectifier jacket 20 and in the course of time the liquid therein would consist of a rather weak solution of ammonia with a comparativelv thin layer of ammonia floating thereon, unless means'were provided to remove the water. If this ctmdition were to prevail, there would not be enough ammonia in the jacket to effect the previously described rectification.-

- In order to prevent this accumulation of water, the liquid withdrawn from jacket 20 is removedat the relatively low' level of the connection of conduit 23 thereto. The liquid does not travel straight across the jacket but passes through different elevations in the jacket thus preventing Stratification. Vapor formed in jacket20 passes through conduit 24 into the second condenser section 25. 4

There is, it will be understood, not a complete separation'of the ammonia and water in the mixture of ammonia and absorbent, but

the jacket 20, the mixture flows out as a mixture before there is time for separation or Stratification to take place. v 10 Liquid ammonia with some water passes through condenser and into the evapo'ra-- tor 28. In the evaporator the ammonia comes in intimate contact with, evaporates in the presence of, and difi'uses into a gas inert with respect to ammonia, for instance hydro: gen, which isintroduced through conduit 27. The drop in temperature accompanying the evaporation of the ammonia produces refrigeration.

\ The gaseous mixture of ammonia and hydrogen formed in the evaporator has a greatcr specific weight than the relatively pure hydrogen which enters through conduit 27 and hence the mixture passes downwardly through apertures 30 in discs 29 within the evaporator and through conduit 31 to heat exchange member 32 from whence it passes through conduit 34 to the lower part of absorber 35.

. The small quantity of water which enters evaporator 28 with the liquid ammonia passes therethrough and through conduit 31, member 32 and conduit 34 into the absorber, where it belongs. Although the temperature in the evaporator may be well below the freezing pointof pure water, nevertheless the water does not freeze therein, due to the fact that it forms a solution of aquaainmonia, the freezing point of which is well below the lowest temperature attained in the evaporator.

a In absorber 35 the gaseous mixture of ammonia and hydrogen comes in intimate contact with water containing relatively little ammonia in solutionwhich enters through conduit and which is distributed over discs 36. This water absorbs the ammonia gas and the heat resulting from the absorption process is carried away by the cooling water in conduit 37. The hydrogen gas isnot absorbed by the water but passes from the upper part of the absorber through conduit 38 to within heatexchanger jacket 39, where it is caused to travel in a spiral path by wire 40. It is thus brought into heat exchange relation with the cold gases within member 32 and is cooled thereby. From jacket 32 the hydrogen gas passes through conduit 27 to the upper part of evaporator 28.

The strong solution of ammonia in water '60 formed in absorber 35 passesv therefrom through conduit 42 to jacket 43 and from'the other end of the jacket through conduit 44 to chamber 14 of generator 10. The liquid is circulated, as was previously described, from chamber14 through conduits 18 and 17 to chamber 15. In the meantime, a large percentage of the ammonia is driven out of solution and the weak solution leaves chamber 15 through conduit 45 and flows therethrough to the upper art of absorber 35. This flow' takes place, ecause the upper end of conduit 18 is above the upper end of conduit 45. In its passage through conduit 45"the hot weak solution is brought in heat exchange relation with the cooler strong solution in jacket 43 and is further cooled by the cooling water in conduit 37.

Figs. 2 and 3 illustrate a slightly modified type of rectifier. Within acket 20, are placed two radial partitioning members 50 and 51. These members extend 'neither all the way to the top nor to the bottom of jacket 20 and hence liquid may pass around their lower ends andvapor around'their upper ends. Secondary condenserconduit 25 is connected to the jacket on the opposite side and at about the same level as is conduit 21. Instead of condenser conduits 21 and 25 being provided with heat radiating fins, as shown in Fig. 1, they are here illustrated as being in heat exchange relation with a cooling water conduit 52, which may be an extension of conduit 37 around absorber 35.

The operation of this modified form of my invention is substantially the same as that previously described. The liquid ammonia, along with the small percentage of water, passes from conduit 21 into one side of jacket 20. In order to get around partitions 50 and 51 to the other side of the jacket it is necessary for the. liquid to pass beneath the partitions. Hence, none of the liquid remains stagnant in the jacket and there is no opportunity for the water to accumulate therein. Liquid ammonia and the small quantity of water flows, as before, from jacket 20 through con-. duit 25 to the evaporator.

While I have illustrated and described but two more or less specific embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that modifications, such as are apparent-to one skilled in the art, fall within its scope and it is limited only by the appended claims viewed in the state of the prior art.

What I claim is: I 1. Condensing and rectifying means comprising an upwardly extending vapor conduit, means forming a' liquid holding chamber in heat exchange. relation with said vapor conduit, a first condenser conduit con- 2 nected between said vapor conduit and said liquid holding chamber and a second condenser conduit having two branches one branch being connected to said chamber at arelatively low point and the other being 125 connected to said chamber at a. relatively high point. 7 e

i 2. Apparatus of the type set forth comprising an upwardly extending vapor cona receptacle, a condenser section connected to said receptacle and connected to said jacket, the connection being such as to determine a liquid level in 531d jacket and the connection of said condenser section to the jacket being both above and below said liquid level and a condenser section connecting said vapor conduit with said jacket.

3. Apparatus of the type set forth comprising an upwardly extending vapor conduit, a liquid containing member adapted to pocket liquid in heat exchange relation with said vapor conduit, a receptacle for wwwing fluid from said member, a first condenser conduit connected between said vapor condu t and said member, a second condenser 'condult connectedbetween sald member and said receptacle, said apparatus comprising means for preventing Stratification of liquid in said liquidcontaining member.

4. Apparatus of the type set forth comprising an upwardly extending vapor conduit, a liquid containing member adapted to pocket liquid in heat exchange relation with said vapor, conduit, a receptacle for receiving fluid from said member, afirst condenser conduit connected between said vapor conduit and said member, a second condenser conduit connected between said member andsaid receptacle, said apparatus comprising means for causing liquid in saidliquid containing member to pass downwardly and upwardly through different elevations.

5 Apparatus ofthetype set forth comprising an upwardly extending vapor conduit, a liquid containing member adapted to pocket liquid in heat exchange relation with said vapor conduit, a receptacle for receiving fluid from said member, a first condenser conduit connected between said vapor conduit-and said member, a second condenser conduit connected between said member and said receptacle, said member and condenser conduits being so constructed as to cause liquid to pass downwardly and upwardly through different elevations in said member to prevent Stratification.

6. Apparatus of the type setforth comprising an upwardly extending'vapor conduit, a liquid containing member adapted to pocket liquid in heat exchange relation with said vapor conduit, a receptacle for receiving fluid from said member, a first condenser conduit connected between said vapor conduit and said member, a second condenser conduit connected between said member and said receptacle, and vertically extending partition means within said liquid containing member for causing liquid therein to pass through difi'erent elevations.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

LENNING. 

